All the ones I've seen looked more like a standard bolt and nut with handles, and don't have the flutes that create the cutting edges on the taps and dies for metal.
When I used them, they seemed to compress the wood fibers to the threaded shape rather than cut them. This seemed to make stronger threads than the taps and dies for metal that end up tearing the wood fibers, but still not as strong as actually cutting it into the threaded shape.
I would think taps and dies could be made like the ones for metal, but with the flutes ground at a different angle to cut wood better, but I've never seen anything like that. Maybe the more severe angle needed would dull to quickly to be practical.